TOOL
Dutch Payslip Decoder
Paste payslip text or upload a text-based PDF. Built for many common Dutch and English payroll layouts used in the Netherlands — we map labels to plain English, split period vs year-to-date when both appear, and show confidence when wording is ambiguous. Nothing is stored.
- Paste text from your PDF, employer portal, or payroll export
- Or upload a text-based PDF (digitally generated text layer only — no OCR)
- See likely meanings for bruto, netto, loonheffing, vakantiegeld, heffingsloon, Loon ZVW, pension, and 30% ruling–related lines when present
Payslip planning helper
Decode a Dutch payslip without storing your document
- Pair with the Dutch net salary calculator for indicative gross-to-net planning — this tool reads labels, not employer payroll engines.
- Use the 30% ruling calculator for facility norms; it does not replace line-by-line payslip interpretation.
- Browse banks for salary deposits when you are setting up how net pay lands in your account.
At a glance
Best for
Expats who want plain-language orientation on a Dutch loonstrook before asking payroll or an advisor.
What it explains
Common lines such as bruto/netto, loonheffing, vakantiegeld, pension contributions, and taxable wage — when detectable.
Works with
Pasted text and text-based PDFs from many Dutch payroll systems and bilingual exports — processed in memory only; always confirm amounts with your employer.
What it skips
OCR, image uploads, account storage, and certainty about employer-specific coding — ambiguity is surfaced explicitly.
Tax tools
Six calculators shared across the Money → Tax cluster — same sequence as the Tax learning path: How Taxes Work, Tax Guide, Expat Taxes, Tax residency, Tax return, then this tools hub. Each tool documents its own methodology; outputs are planning-only.
Dutch salary net calculator
Indicative gross-to-net — planning only; each tool documents its own methodology.
Estimate net salary →
30% ruling calculator
Eligibility-first planning — confirm with payroll or a tax adviser.
Check 30% ruling →
Payslip decoder
Plain-language line items once you have a real payslip.
Decode payslip →
Double tax awareness tool
Cross-border prompts while you still have time to read official guidance.
Check double-tax awareness →
Healthcare allowance estimator
Zorgtoeslag-style planning — not Dienst Toeslagen.
Estimate healthcare allowance →
Childcare cost estimator
Budget childcare alongside rent and take-home cash.
Estimate childcare costs →
Orientation: How Taxes Work in the Netherlands · Tax residency in the Netherlands · Tax return in the Netherlands · Netherlands Tax Guide for Expats · 30% ruling in the Netherlands · Expat Taxes in the Netherlands · Netherlands taxes hub — same sequence as the Tax learning path: foundation → guides → residency → annual return → tools, then optional help.
Paid help is optional for many questions. When to consider tax help · Compare tax advisor options · Use tools first, then ask sharper questions (editorial; not a firm recommendation).
What this tool can and cannot do
Can
- Explain common Dutch and English payslip labels used on Netherlands payroll exports
- Highlight uncertainty when lines are ambiguous or columns are unclear
- Extract text from many digitally generated PDFs (Dutch decimals, many US-style exports)
- Separate period vs year-to-date when two or more amounts appear on a recognized row
- Flag possible 30% ruling–related lines when typical Dutch or English wording appears
Cannot
- Replace payroll, tax, or legal advice
- Read scanned or photo PDFs (no OCR)
- Store payslips or tie results to an account
Before you start
This page provides general information to help you read common Dutch payslip wording. It is not payroll, tax, or legal advice, does not access employer or Belastingdienst systems, and does not create a professional client relationship. Confirm amounts and coding with your employer or a qualified adviser.
Decoder
Loading payslip decoder…
Interactive tool — one moment.
Recommended services
Editorial shortlist only — not endorsements, not payroll advice. Compare scope and pricing before you engage any provider.
Relocation & payroll support (examples)
- Expat2Holland
Relocation and settling-in support for internationals, including housing, registration, and practical onboarding.
Full package from ~€1,500–3,000; à la carte from ~€200–500 per service. Employer packages often higher.
- Jimble
Relocation and mobility services for expats and internationals in the Amsterdam area.
Packages vary; often €1,000–2,500+ for core relocation. Check directly for quote.
- RSH Relocation and Immigration Services
Relocation and immigration services for internationals and families, including housing and registration support.
From ~€1,200 for basic package; full relocation €2,000–4,000+. Immigration support often separate.
Banks & salary accounts (examples)
- bunq
Digital bank with expat-friendly signup and multi-currency options. Often used for quick account setup and international use.
From ~€2.99/mo
- Knab
Dutch online bank (no branches). Full Dutch payment account with iDEAL and debit card; often chosen for straightforward pricing and digital experience.
From ~€3.50/mo
- ABN AMRO
Major Dutch bank with branches and online banking. Full current accounts, iDEAL, and in-branch support.
Free basic account
More listings: services directory.
How it works
Add your payslip text
Copy text from a PDF reader or employer portal, or upload a text-based PDF. We normalize spacing and read line by line — no OCR and no cloud document services.
Check extraction quality
You will see whether extraction looks good, partial, or low-confidence. Image-only PDFs often fail here — paste manually when you can.
Review decoded lines
We map common Dutch payroll labels to plain-language explanations. Ambiguous or missing lines are called out — we do not invent amounts.
Confirm with payroll
Use output for orientation only. Employers and payroll providers are authoritative on coding, schemes, and year-to-date totals.
Common terms on Dutch payslips
Real payslips vary by payroll vendor, but you will often see labels similar to:
- Bruto loon / salaris — Contract gross for the period before employee deductions.
- Loonheffing / loonbelasting — Withholding via employer toward income tax and wage-related components.
- Heffingsloon / belastbaar loon — Taxable wage base used in payroll — it can differ from bruto when corrections, exemptions, or scheme rules apply.
- Loon ZVW — Wage base used for Dutch employee health insurance (Zvw) contribution calculations in payroll — can differ from gross salary.
- Corr. 30% TB / BT — Correction lines some payroll systems use alongside 30% ruling treatment; exact coding is employer-specific.
- Vrijgestelde vergoeding — Often a tax-free reimbursement category; on some slips it may sit near 30% ruling components — confirm with payroll.
- Vakantiegeld — Statutory holiday allowance, often accrued monthly.
- Pensioenpremie — Employee and sometimes employer pension lines when a scheme applies.
- Netto uitbetaling — Indicative bank payout for the period after shown deductions.
Official coding and year-to-date totals are always confirmed with your employer.
Official sources
These are starting points for authoritative rules — ExpatCopilot does not represent any government body.
Privacy & security
Text and PDFs are processed in memory for the current request only — we do not persist payslip contents in a database in this free version, and we avoid logging full slip text on the server. Use text-based PDFs only; photo or scanned PDFs are not supported here — copy text from your viewer and paste instead, or use a future OCR option if we offer one separately. Avoid shared computers; clear downloads and browser history if needed.
Frequently asked questions
A payslip is the periodic statement your employer issues showing gross pay, withholdings, employer-side items, and net payout. Layouts differ by payroll software; labels are often Dutch even for international employers.
Pasted plain text and text extracted from digitally generated PDFs (a real text layer). It maps common Dutch payroll abbreviations to explanations and, when the layout shows two money columns, tries to separate this period from year-to-date. It does not read photos, scans, or image-only PDFs.
It usually refers to payroll withholding for wage tax and related components remitted by your employer. Your annual income tax position can still differ after the tax return.
Usually it is close to what is paid to your bank for that period, but you should still check for separate corrections, clawbacks, or benefits-in-kind that do not flow through the same line.
Taxable wage in payroll can exclude certain allowances, apply corrections, or reflect scheme-specific rules. Gross contract salary and belastbaar loon are related but not always identical.
Holiday allowance is often around 8% of salary. Some employers accrue monthly and pay in spring; others spread payments. Your contract states how it is built up.
If you participate in a pension scheme, employee contributions often appear as deductions. Employer contributions may be shown separately for transparency.
It is a taxable wage base used inside payroll calculations. It may differ from your bruto contract salary because some components are included or excluded by payroll rules and employer setup.
When your pasted or PDF text includes typical correction or reimbursement labels (for example lines mentioning 30% TB/BT or vrijgestelde vergoeding), we surface them as ruling-related signals. That is payroll coding visibility only — it does not prove legal eligibility for the facility. Use the 30% ruling calculator for norms and confirm with your employer or adviser.
Many Dutch payslip rows show two money columns: the current pay period and the cumulative year-to-date total. When we detect two amounts on a matched line, we show them separately. If only one number appears, we label it as a single detected amount and do not invent a YTD figure.
Employers use different payroll vendors, abbreviations, and column layouts. Lines without recognizable labels, header noise, or free-text notes may not map to our dictionary. We group those honestly rather than guessing.
No. ExpatCopilot provides educational interpretation support to help you read wording — not payroll processing, final tax calculations, or legal opinions. Your employer and qualified professionals are authoritative.
No. This free version only uses embedded text from digitally generated PDFs. Scanned or image-only PDFs need manual copy-paste if your PDF viewer or portal provides selectable text.
No database storage in this version: the server reads your upload or text for the current request and returns a JSON result. Do not use on shared devices if you are concerned about local browser history.